You cant leave luggage unattended in America anymore!

So a couple days ago I decided to drive into town and traffic was backed up for miles. I decided to turn around and go home figuring it was a accident.

I get home and check the news to see what was going on and apparently it was a bomb threat at the local gas station.

Why was a bomb threat called in you ask? Well someone apparently left their briefcase at the gas pump and because of today's mass hysteria and fear of terrorism a main thoroughfare was shut down for about 4 hours and thousands of tax payers dollars were wasted. There was nothing more to the story besides a briefcase being forgotten at a pump!

The called in a neighboring police station with a bomb robot with x-ray capability's and what was in the briefcase? Well what else than some paperwork and a back scratcher.

This is getting a little out of hand don't you think? America is now one big airport and you cant leave luggage unattended, whats next?

napavalleyregister.com...

a reply to: bananashooter

With all the "credible threats" going on today, I think "better safe than sorry".

a reply to: bananashooter

Just curious, but why does anyone ever need to leave luggage unattended? In today's world, where people steal, you'd think you would want to be around your possessions. At least that's the way I feel. I understand we have extra layers of security now, but with credible threats out there, it is better "safe than sorry"... i heard in Mogadishu they dont worry about luggage being unattended, I don't want to live in a place like that, I prefer one that's more cautious...

a reply to: bananashooter

Now if that briefcase would have blown up and someone would have gotten killed or injured, would you be upset because no one thought to check it out?

Question is why would you off load luggage at a gas station.?

a reply to: Night Star

Better stuck in traffic for no reason, than because of mass casualties, destruction, and violence.

originally posted by: bananashooter
Well what else than some paperwork and a back scratcher.

A back scratcher !? Never knew those exist, now I understand this joke even better




On topic, you already what the problem is, fear until the point of mass hysteria. Fear is the deadliest weapon there is and currently working its way through the western world.


The more we are scared, the faster we'll give up our rights to live in a "safe world".

a reply to: bananashooter

It's been like that in the UK since the 70's and the IRA. Only the last few years we've got trash bins back at train stations, and even then they are clear transparent plastic to see what is put in them.
Bomb squad are called occasionally around Britain, but most people just simply don't leave our things unattended anymore, just in case they are 'made safe' in a controlled explosion.
Better safe than sorry I say, lame 1st world problem rant.

a reply to: bananashooter
Welcome to the world of taking security seriously.
We've been used to precautions like that ever since the days of the IRA bombings.
Any rail station routinely gives out public messages warning people not to leave their luggage unattended, because it might get blown up by the security services.

If you think that's inconvenient, wait until somebody plants a bomb by dropping it in a litter bin (as the IRA did at Victoria station), and there is then an immediate move to begin removing all litter bins from public places.

In a safe world, you can leave your doors unlocked.
In an unsafe world. you lock the doors and do anything else that is necessary.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Haha we must have thought the same thing, it's ingrained in most of us in the UK now, and probably explains why we seem to be wetting ourselves about terrorists a bit less than many US members of ATS lol

a reply to: grainofsand
We shall fight them on the beaches, we shall fight them on the landing-grounds...

a reply to: bananashooter

No you can't

And rightly so, I'd rather be in a traffic jam for four hours whilst TPTB check out a suspicious package than think that my impatience caused an innocent child to die in an explosion.

Bearing in mind the threat level

Had that turned out to be ISIS ................................... How well would the tax dollars have been spent then ?

Cody

Standard procedure. I ride the ferry boats. Every day the announcement is the same:

"Do not leave any backpacks or luggage unattended. And if you rode a bike onto the ferry, please ride it off."

People just leave stuff. Happens frequently at the airports I work. So far they've all been harmless, but we aren't here to play al-quaeda roulette.

If you see something say something. Boston Marathon bomb, remember?

Question is why would you off load luggage at a gas station.?

I don't think a briefcase would really fit the term of luggage.

They are pretty good for carrying around paperwork, pens, and a possible sandwich.

a reply to: bananashooter

Agreed, kind of a strange story. But here down under, it is the same way. I guess better to be safe than very sorry mate. Why would anyone have a briefcaste out of their auto anyway? Strange. No one hurt so a g'day I guess.

I saw a plastic bag rolling down the road the other day. Was I supposed to call that in?

originally posted by: ArnoldNonymous
I saw a plastic bag rolling down the road the other day. Was I supposed to call that in?

Was that a joke or was it a genuinely ridiculous answer relating to discussion about suspicious packages?

originally posted by: ArnoldNonymous
I saw a plastic bag rolling down the road the other day. Was I supposed to call that in?

Well Mate, if the bag had wheels and was rolling down the road, then it was probably electronically controlled and a bomb ready to blast away once at its destination.

However, if it was just an empty bag blowing in the wind, I'd say the coast is clear no need to call 911

Cheers.....just having some fun, but I do understand your point. Some things are more obvious than others. Have a nice, safe day!

This is nothing new. I remember being at London's Heathrow airport in the early 90's ... if you walked more than 10 feet away from your bag, people would freak out. There also was a lack of garbage cans, so terrorists couldn't hide anything in them.

The rest of the world has been used to this for a long, long time.